New pre-school/daycare to open in Westchase
TAMPA — Lightbridge Academy, a pre-school and daycare will celebrate its grand opening Aug. 1 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at 9660 W. Waters Ave.
Grand opening activities will be live entertainment, a photo booth, balloon twister, face painting and sports activities. Classroom tours will be available, as well as technology demonstrations.
The school offers infant, toddler, preschool, pre-K, summer camp and back-up care.
It operates Monday through Friday from 7 p.m. to 6 p.m.
For more information, call 813-397-6247 or visit LightbridgeAcademy.com.
Hillsborough teachers honored for economics instruction
TAMPA — Twelve teachers with Hillsborough County Public Schools have been recognized as 2026 Regional Economic Educator & Leadership (REEL) Award recipients by the Florida Council on Economic Education, the school district announced.
The REEL Awards honor outstanding educators across Florida who are helping students develop critical skills in personal finance, economics, entrepreneurship, and the free enterprise system. Recipients were recognized during FCEE’s annual Economic & Financial Literacy Teacher Summit.
The recipient teachers were:
• Olena Spridgeon, Gaither High School
• Laura Von Staden, Williams Middle Magnet School
• Kenneth Gilreath, Gaither High School
• Adam Klopper, Cypress Creek Elementary School
• Michkayla Dandreano, Forest Hills Elementary School
• Joelle Kostecki, Oak Park Elementary School
• Jamie Acree, Burnett Middle School
• Samuel Brown, Franklin Middle Magnet School
• Dr. Anedra Johnson, Dickenson Elementary School
• Benjamin Donetelli, Woodson K-8
• Jennifer Giannone, Newsome High School
“This recognition reflects the incredible work our educators do every day to prepare students for success beyond the classroom,” said Superintendent Van Ayres. “Financial literacy and economic understanding are essential life skills, and our teachers are helping equip students with the knowledge and confidence they need to make informed decisions and thrive in their futures. We are proud to celebrate their achievement and dedication.”
County emergency management accredited
The Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Office of Emergency Management recently received accreditation from the Emergency Management Accreditation Program Commission, recognizing the division for its preparedness, coordination, and commitment to continuous improvement.
The department achieved accreditation by documenting compliance with 73 industry-recognized standards and successfully completing a peer-review on-site assessment by a team of Emergency Management Accreditation Program-trained assessors.
Hillsborough County Office of Emergency Management was evaluated on a number of procedures, planning, and policies, including incident management, resource management, hazard mitigation, training, facilities, coordination, and communications and warning.
The Emergency Management Accreditation Program Commission congratulatory letter to Hillsborough County stated: “Accreditation recognizes a program’s ability to bring together personnel, resources, and communications from a variety of agencies and organizations in preparation for and in response to any type of disaster.”
The Office of Emergency Management is a division within Hillsborough County Fire Rescue.
Buddy Brew Coffee opens in Valrico
TAMPA — Buddy Brew Coffee has opened its second café in the Tampa Bay area inside Sprouts Farmers Market at 3315 Lithia Pinecrest Road.
The Valrico café will serve Buddy Brew’s full menu of handcrafted espresso beverages, cold brew, matcha, smoothies, breakfast, lunch, fresh pastries, and seasonal specialty drinks.
Buddy Brew Coffee is a Tampa-based specialty coffee roaster with cafés across Florida, a dedicated roastery and cold brew production facility, and distributes nationwide.
Pop-up center to help residents apply for rebuilding program
Hillsborough County has opened a one-day pop-up service center to help income-eligible residents who had property damage from Hurricanes Helene or Milton in 2024. The event will offer information and assistance to residents considering applying for relief funds as part of the county’s Rebuilding for Tomorrow Homeowner Repair and Reconstruction Program.
The center will be open from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 29, at the Gandy Civic Center located at 4207 W. Oklahoma Ave.
In addition to the pop-up center, the Rebuilding for Tomorrow Service Center at 1029 E. Hillsborough Ave., remains open. Hours for the Hillsborough Avenue site are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Hillsborough County also has a call center to help with the application process. Residents can call 813-540-7767 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Eligible residents can qualify for up to $350,000 to replace or rebuild storm-damaged housing; $10,000 - $50,000 in eligible reimbursement costs for permitted work already completed by the homeowner; or up to $150,000 in repairs that have not been covered under other programs. The program is for homeowners earning up to 120% of Area Median Income ($110,100 annual household income for a two-person household), with priority given to those earning 80% or less of Area Median Income ($73,400 annual household income for a two-person household).
The Rebuilding for Tomorrow program will remain open until all funding is obligated.
More county school seniors win National Merit scholarships
TAMPA — Three additional Hillsborough County Public Schools seniors have been named 2026 College‑Sponsored National Merit Scholarship winners, earning national recognition for their academic achievement and future promise, according to an announcement released by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
Selected from a nationwide pool of high-achieving students, National Merit Scholars represent the top tier of graduating seniors across the country. The selection process includes outstanding academic records, high scores on the PSAT/NMSQT, strong SAT or ACT performance, extracurricular involvement, and a rigorous application review.
Some 44 seniors at Hillsborough County public schools have already been awarded National Merit scholarships this spring.
The additional HCPS 2026 College-Sponsored National Merit Scholarship winners are:
• Dev N. Parikh, Strawberry Crest High School
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Computer Science
• Lily M. Polender, Robinson High School
National Merit University of Florida Scholarship
Probable career field: Chemistry
Aryan K. Chavda, Middleton High School
National Merit University of Miami Scholarship
Probable career field: Healthcare
This final group of winners brings the number of 2026 National Merit Scholars nationally to about 6,500. These distinguished high school graduates will receive scholarships for undergraduate study worth a total of nearly $24 million.
Upcoming Sacred Heart Drive to Help Local Schools
TAMPA – Sacred Heart Catholic Church will hold its next “Giving from the Heart” drive Saturday, Aug. 8, from 9 to 11 a.m. at Sacred Heart’s North Campus, 3515 N. Florida Avenue in Tampa.
This address is not the church, but the church’s former school campus; no collections will be held at the church on the morning of the event.
The drive will accept school supplies assisting St. Peter Claver and St. Joseph Catholic schools. Additional needs for local Catholic schools will also be met with participation from the school’s ecumenical partners at Love INC.
St. Peter Claver School, founded in 1893 by Jesuit priests, is the oldest continuously operating, historically black grade school in Florida.
St. Joseph Catholic School was founded in 1896 by the Diocese of St. Augustine. Many of the families whose children attend St. Joseph’s are underserved in our community and need assistance with basic needs.
Additional information and a needs list are available at shfla.org/gfthaug26.
Girl Scouts launch Amazon Wish for environmental projects
LITHIA — Girl Scout Cadette Troop 33521 is inviting the community to help support two youth-led environmental conservation projects as the girls work toward earning the prestigious Girl Scout Silver Award—the highest award a Cadette can achieve.
Through hands-on education, community partnerships, and environmental stewardship, the troop is tackling two important challenges facing Florida’s coastal ecosystems: protecting oyster habitats and conserving hermit crab populations.
Oyster Oasis
The Oyster Oasis project teaches the important role oysters play in keeping waterways healthy. As natural filter feeders, oysters improve water quality, create habitat for hundreds of marine species, and strengthen coastal ecosystems.
The troop is creating educational Vertical Oyster Garden (VOG) kits filled with books, activities, puzzles, instructional materials, and hands-on learning resources designed to make marine conservation fun and engaging for elementary-aged students.
As part of the project’s lasting impact, the girls will donate a complete Oyster Oasis Education Box to each of their former elementary schools—Bevis Elementary, FishHawk Creek Elementary, Lithia Springs Elementary, Pinecrest Elementary, and Stowers Elementary—as well as local public libraries. Each box is designed to become a permanent educational resource that teachers, media specialists, and students can use for years to come.
Daffy’s Great Adventure to a Healthier Habitat
The second Silver Award project follows the story of Daffy the hermit crab to teach children why every shell matters.
Many people don’t realize that hermit crabs depend on empty seashells for survival. When shells are removed from beaches as souvenirs, hermit crabs lose their homes and may be forced to use unsafe objects like bottle caps or plastic debris. Through an interactive children’s story, educational displays, shell conservation efforts, beach cleanups, and community outreach, the troop hopes to inspire families to leave shells where they belong and help protect Florida’s beaches.
Like the Oyster Oasis project, the girls will also donate a book about hermit crabs and place signage on the beach about leaving hells behind for hermit crab use.
To support both Silver Award projects, Troop 33521 has created an Amazon Wish List containing books, educational materials, craft supplies, storage containers, and other resources needed to assemble the education boxes. The list can be accessed at; https://tinyurl.com/y4kn7sks
County fire rescue chief named state fire chief of the year
The Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association named Hillsborough County Fire Rescue Chief Jason Dougherty as Fire Chief of the Year during its annual conference recently in Punta Gorda.
The Florida Fire Chiefs’ Association honor states: “This distinction was established to recognize a truly outstanding fire chief whose acts and deeds in their profession, home, community, and country, serve as an example and challenge for all other chief fire executives throughout Florida.”
In December 2023, Dougherty was named the seventh fire chief in Hillsborough County’s history. Hillsborough County Fire Rescue (HCFR) is one of the largest fire departments in the state.
Since taking the helm of HCFR, he has championed innovation, strengthened the organization, invested in firefighters and paramedics, and remained focused on providing the highest level of service to the residents and visitors of Hillsborough County, according to a press statement.
Dougherty began his career in 1999 in Thomasville, Georgia, and later served as training chief with Tampa Fire Rescue. He joined HCFR in 2016. Before becoming fire chief, he served as deputy chief of operations and deputy chief of administration for HCFR.
Dougherty holds a bachelor’s degree in health science education from the University of Florida, a master’s degree in organizational leadership from Waldorf University, and is a graduate of the Fire Service Executive Development Institute. Chief Dougherty holds the following certifications: Chief Fire Officer, Executive Fire Officer, Fire Safety Inspector, Fire Investigator, Fire Service Instructor III, Live Fire Training Instructor, Pump Operator, Fire Officer I and II, and Hazardous Materials Technician.